BENIN CITY, Nigeria—The embattled Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, has begged his principal, Governor Godwin Obaseki, for forgiveness over their political differences.
Shaibu made the appeal during a press conference in Benin City on Thursday.
“I use this medium to appeal to Mr Governor, if there is anything that I don’t know that I have done, please forgive me so that we can develop our state together,” he said. “We have just one year to go. We have been the envy of the entire country. So Mr Governor, if there is anything you feel that I have done, please I am sorry. I need us to work together to finish well and strong.”
Shaibu and Obaseki have been at loggerheads in recent months over a number of issues, including the alleged impeachment of the deputy governor.
Last month, the governor accused his deputy of attempting to overthrow him, a claim Shaibu denied. In early September, Shaibu was barred from gaining access to an event organized by the state where the governor and other top leaders were present.
Not long after, the deputy governor’s office was moved to a building outside the Edo State Government House.
Shaibu said that he had resumed work at his new office, but that there was still a lot of work to be done there.
“There is no problem about it,” he said. “The governor has asked us to go there. Like I have always tried to prove, I am a loyal servant and nothing has changed.
“I took a personal vow to support my governor and you can see my Catholic people are here. When I took a vow with God, nothing can change it and I wish that the relationship that we had will come back in the next few days and weeks.
“I am missing my governor and by the grace of God, He will touch the governor’s heart and touch all of us and even those that are between us.
“I mean well. If there is any mistake I have made as a human, it is not out of wickedness because I know I’m not wicked. I have a very clean heart.”
